Stony Stratford in Bloom

2015
The Community Project for Everyone

Silver Gilt Award 2008, 2009, 2014

Gold Award 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Best in Small Town Category 2010,
2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
National Silver Award 2011

Part funded by

Contents
Introduction

Judges Route

Year-Round Floral Impact

Greener streets Better lives

Conservation and Biodiversity

14

Sustainability

16

Local Heritage

22

Pride of Place

24

Links with Local Authority and Business

25

Fundraising and Community Involvement

26

Schools and Young People

28

Communication and Publicity

30

Front cover photograph: St Mary & St Giles Junior School pupils gather produce they have
grown ready for the chef to make into school dinners

21 June 2015
Hanging baskets in Stony Stratford High Street

Introduction

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

Introduction
Greening the Streets of Stony Stratford
This years RHS theme Greener Streets:
Better Lives struck an immediate chord
with Stony Stratford in Bloom (SSIB)
volunteers. We feel weve been following
this maxim ever since we began in 2008,
when in partnership with the Town Council
we filled a host of planters with flowers to
bring life to concrete pavements. The local
Business Association was already
organising a hanging baskets scheme to
contribute colour and vibrancy to the High
Street, and since then weve worked in
tandem with them on colour schemes and
changeover days. Over the years weve also
created a number of beds with perennials
and shrubs in the town, and they are
maturing beautifully. Over the last few
months, however, embodying the greening
theme, weve worked even harder to ensure
that roadsides bloom, and residents have
been very appreciative of our efforts.

18 June 2015

One of our key initiatives this year has

been working with the Town Council to
try to gain Green Flag Status for the
Wolverton Road Recreation Ground.
SSIB volunteers decided to fund-raise to
create a flower bed of roses and
colourful annuals at the entrance to the
park. Wolverton Road is one of the
main roads into Stony Stratford, and we
felt that such a bed would welcome
people into the park, and be visible to
those on foot or in cars. Similarly, we
also redesigned the beds wed created
at the four entrances to Stony Stratford
to include bright displays of scarlet and
pink pelargoniums to dazzle the eye of
visitors to the town.
Involving children in Stony in Bloom
activities has always been our aim, and
they contributed enthusiastically to the
22 June 2015
Introduction

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

greening of the town, sowing seeds which SSIB volunteers could later plant along busy
roads. They also sowed and then planted out sunflowers in the safer area of the Wolverton
Road Recreation Ground. SSIB chose the busy London Road into the town for the free RHS
nasturtium seeds, and added cheerful golden marigolds and multi-coloured hollyhocks to
this pavement border.
The Ostlers Lane entrance to the town has benefitted from the generosity of Ron and Eileen
Cox, who have sponsored a large number of Remembrance roses along the curve of the
road. Ron not only sponsored the roses, but helped to dig and plant them, and he maintains
them with immense dedication!
Its important to SSIB to ensure that all parts of the town look beautiful. While an
inspirational talk on exotic gardens encouraged us to design an exotic bed in the centre of
Stony Stratford, we also created a bed at the side of a new play-park in Galley Hill this year.
A ward councillor had paid for the shrubs and edging for this and two other beds close by
from his allocation, and we feel this has made a great difference.
What with starting new beds and maintaining the old; organising gardening at the schools;
and fund-raising for more beautiful plants, work never stops, but fortunately new
volunteers keep on coming, bringing different skills to the group. In the pages that follow
we hope to show how with our twice-weekly work-parties we keep Stony Stratford looking
beautiful throughout the year. We also hope to demonstrate our commitment to a
sustainable environment. And crucially, we aim to show the involvement of a wide range of
different groups in the In Bloom project. What is most important to us is that Stony
Stratford in Bloom encourages pride in the town and brings the community together.
Judy Deveson (Chair of Stony Stratford in Bloom)
Stony Stratford in Bloom activities are reported regularly in the Town Crier, published
quarterly by Stony Stratford Town Council, the Stony Stratford in Bloom website
http://www.stonyinbloom.org.uk and on our Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stony-in-Bloom/111313445624096?ref=ts.

12 October 2014
Children enjoying Punch and Judy at Stony Stratfords Apple Day
Map on p. 5 contains Ordnance Survey data Crown copyright and database right 2014.

Introduction

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

Key
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1
2

2
0

4
3

1
11
10

3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

Calcutta Brasserie Car Park

Library
Queen Eleanor Garden;
Millennium bed and pond
Remembrance Rose Bed
St Mary & St Giles School
Wolverton Road Recreation Ground
and Allotments
York House Community Gardens
Galley Hill Childrens Play Park
Four Seasons Garden
War Memorial
Mill Field, Ouse Valley Park
Market Square

9
7

Stony Stratford
in Bloom
Judges Route
Friday, 10 July 2015

Year-Round Floral Impact

3 September 2014

3 September 2014

3 September 2014

Floral planters in late summer

Year-Round Floral Impact

Church garden in late summer

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

Early tulips in Church Street

13 May 2015
Market Square petal planter in spring

Year-Round Floral Impact

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

5 June 2015

Salvias and geraniums dominate the Four Seasons Garden in June

18 June 2015

Flower beds brighten the Ousebank Way play area

Year-Round Floral Impact

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

Greener streets Better lives

Stony Stratford Town Council took over
responsibility for landscaping from Milton
Keynes Borough Council in 2014.In the
autumn Town Crier they asked the
community for ideas for enhancing the
town: Help Us to Improve your Green
Spaces.
The new landscape contractor Marcus
Young has liaised with town councillors
and SSIB in order to provide a bespoke
service. This has been noticed and much
appreciated by residents.

13 May 2015

Sowing the free RHS nasturtium seeds along the

London Road Allotments fence

Green Flag status for Wolverton Road Recreation Park

3 January 2015
Preparing for the new flower bed at the park entrance: painting the railings in late winter

Greener streets Better lives

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

Local MK Councillor Rob Gifford used part of

his allocation to replace a broken bench with a
lovely new one

A grant from MK Community Foundation

enabled SSIB to hire community artist Helen
Taylor, who will work with local school
children to paint the shabby youth shelter,
which in the past suffered from graffiti

5 February 2015

7 February 2015
Primroses and snowdrops, sponsored by local residents Ron and Eileen Cox, were planted in February
around the pond and wetland area of Wolverton Road Recreation Ground

Greener streets Better lives

10

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

14 June 2015

This year Stony Stratford Town Councils Big Lunch was held in the Recreation Ground, benefitting
from the improved grass cutting. SSIB volunteers helped children plant strawberry plants to take
home and grow on themselves

14 June 2015

Greener streets Better lives

11

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

New permanent flower beds

18 February 2015

Preparing the Remembrance rose bed, sponsored by local residents Ron and Eileen Cox
New flower beds were also made at the entrance to Wolverton Road Recreation Park, Galley
Hill play area and the Exotic Bed outside the Library.

Maintenance of existing beds

5 June 2015

Replacing lavenders at the Four Seasons garden

Roses were replaced at rose beds at the entrances to the town and to Galley Hill.
Greener streets Better lives

12

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

Residents take the initiative

19 June 2015

Containers and window boxes in Swan Terrace

21 June 2015

21 June 2015
Street-frontage gardens in Russell Street and on the corner of The Limes and Park Road

Greener streets Better lives

13

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

Conservation and Biodiversity

8 October 2014

The north end pond has been improved by the IYN group using a pond liner and stone edging, with
appropriate wetland planting, and the construction of a jetty so the public can view wildlife safely
22 June 2015

Conservation and Biodiversity

14

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

2 May 2015
Maintaining diversity in the Bluebell Wood: thinning rampant cow parsley to allow growth of
emerging bluebells
One of our members performed a bio-audit of the ground flora; the trees and shrubs had
been audited in a previous year.

6 May 2015

Bluebell Wood tea party in May 2015: a bug hunt with Space Centre children

Conservation and Biodiversity

15

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

Sustainability
Twice-weekly work parties all year round enable us to keep on top of both new projects and
maintenance.

17 January 2015
Preparing the new rose bed at the entrance to Wolverton Road Recreation Park

9 May 2015
Trimming the hedge beside the Bluebell Wood

Sustainability

16

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

All the display planters and hanging baskets have water reservoirs to minimise watering.

16 October 2014
In October the summer display is replaced by winter planting: members of the Business Association
remove hanging baskets

16 October 2014
Plants that still look good are given away to the public at a table on the High Street
Remaining plants are composted at our York House community allotment; when mature
this compost, together with the spent container compost, is used as mulch on our permanent
beds

Sustainability

17

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

17 October 2014
Winter plants were sourced from a number of suppliers including recycled perennials stored on our
own allotment

17 October 2014
Planting up the Market Square petal planter with winter display

Sustainability

18

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

26 May 2015

Changeover-day: Planting up the summer display at the end of May requires all hands on deck

25 May 2015

Sustainability

19

Winter plants (bergenia, euonymus,

grasses, heuchera, polyanthus and
vinca) are transported to York House
allotment to be planted and used again
in the winter display the following
October

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

26 May 2015
Close links with Stony Stratford Business Association members and the Christmas Lights team enable
over 190 hanging baskets to be hung along the High Street and planters placed on top of bus stop
shelters for extra colour and impact

26 May 2015

Sustainability

20

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

20 June 2015

Recycling compost from the compost bins at St Mary & St Giles Junior School to be used to maintain
the soil level of the school raised beds and to mulch permanent planting throughout the town

Sustainability of the Stony Stratford in Bloom Group

19 September 2014
After the RHS Thames & Chiltern Britain in Bloom Awards day, we held a celebratory party in the
Greek Church Hall for SSIB volunteers and to thank sponsors
The SSIB committee meets in October for the AGM, to assess the years work and planning
for the coming year, including financial planning. Volunteers are kept in touch by weekly
update emails, and they and the general public are kept informed by the website, facebook,
and posters in the centre of town. SSIB keeps growing: new members bring new skills, and
network with a variety of groups, encouraging contact with further possible members.

Sustainability

21

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

Local Heritage
10 June 2014

The Stony Stratford Futures Group has funded heritage information boards throughout the town.
SSIB members are involved in the project to restore St Mary Magdalene tower
The Queen Eleanor Garden commemorates the resting of Queen Eleanors cortege in Stony
Stratford in 1290. The original Eleanor Cross was located nearby but was destroyed in the
Civil War. The garden was designed in 2011 with help from Prebendal Manor and contains
herbs and decorative plants appropriate to the period, with an explanatory information
board The surrounding green space contains several heritage fruit trees with local links.

4 March 2015

Local Heritage

22

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

4 March 2015
Replacing the camomile path surrounding the Queen Eleanor Garden with a bark path

Horticultural plan for renovation of the Queen Eleanor Garden

Local Heritage

23

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

Pride of Place
21 June 2014

Residents and SSIB volunteers litter-pick and spruce up the town on a Community Tidy Day

26 June 2015

26 June 2015

Recycling litter bins are situated throughout the town and to address dog fowling the Neighbourhood
Action Group (NAG) has erected more dog poo bins in dog-walking areas in the last year
Cleaning up the town landscape: the NAG has achieved removal of redundant 30 mph signs
in High Street, and New Roundabout sign in London Road. SSIB has had fruitful
discussions with the National Grid regarding removal of an eyesore caravan park at the
north end of the High Street.
Pride of Place

24

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

Links with Local Authority and Business

Stony Stratford Town Council supports SSIB by paying for the planter floral displays in the
town and the summer watering contract. SSIB pays for its permanent planting, ongoing and
new projects through fundraising. Local councillors support SSIB initiatives by donating
some of their ward allocation money, e.g. for the Galley Hill Play Park flower bed and
edging, replacing a damaged bench in the Wolverton Road Recreation Park, and for
provision of more dog-poo bins.

16 October 2014
Stony Stratford Business Association funds the 190+ hanging baskets in the High Street and Market
Square and provides valuable muscle power

13 May 2015
Many businesses sponsor planters

Links with Local Authority and Business

25

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

Fundraising and Community Involvement

Direct fundraising by SSIB is for the maintenance of our permanent beds and ongoing
projects and to fund new projects. Fundraising is combined with community involvement
and is always very enjoyable.

12 July 2014
Annual Golden Garden Competition: In the Library, Anne Kempson, RHS Regional Judge, presents
town gardeners with their prizes (donated by local Acorn Nursery, Emberton) and certificates

3 November 2014
The Calcutta Brasserie fundraising meal in November is now an annual event; it was greatly enjoyed
by 111 friends and supporters. The meal and raffle raised 787 for SSIB funds. Here raffle winners
display their spoils

Fundraising and Community Involvement

26

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

25 April 2015
Posters are used to publicise events like
this summer fund-raiser

The SSIB Plant Sale and tombola at York House raised

554

25 April 2015
At the Plant Sale a new Edible Bed, prepared by Theresa Wedderburn, was planted up by local
children. It is intended that when the plants mature the public will help themselves

Fundraising and Community Involvement

27

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

Schools and Young People

SSIB volunteers love to enthuse young children about gardening. In addition to the one-off
occasions to get them planting, such as the Big Lunch, they provide regular horticultural
input to each of the three schools in Stony Stratford. At St Mary & St Giles Junior School
pupils receive weekly gardening sessions from volunteers, with the help of a teaching
assistant.

8 September 2014
Pupils gather in the polytunnel to learn about vegetable growing

11 May 2015
Older pupils weed and prepare an outside raised bed

Schools and Young People

28

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

8 September 2014

8 September 2014

8 September 2014
Harvesting runner beans, and delivering produce to the kitchen for the chef to use in their lunches
9 September 2014

8 April 2015
Space Centre children plant sunflower seeds in Wolverton Road Recreation Ground to see who can
grow the tallest sunflower. The winner of last years competition proudly displays her winning
sunflower growing beside the allotment fence
Schools and Young People

29

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015

Communication and Publicity

This year we arranged two talks in the Library for the public: one by the Incredible Edible group
from Dunstable; the other in association with the Friends of Stony Stratford Library, Gertrude Jekyll
and Edwin Lutyens. During Stony Live week SSIB volunteers led guided walks, publicising the
SSIB Town Walk leaflet launched last year describing a walk visiting SSIB gardens and projects
around the town
The Town Crier, Stony Stratfords quarterly journal/newspaper, which goes to all
households, always includes an article about our activities, with pictures, and our events
have been highlighted in each of the recent editions. In addition, the local business flier,
Essentially Local, produced every two months, also includes a regular column about SSIB
events and activities, and goes to all households. The local Milton Keynes newspaper, MK
News, has highlighted our Britain in Bloom success with photoshoots. Our SSIB Facebook
page is very active and a Twitter account has now started, with a local SSIB website and
Judy Devesons RHS blog (https://www.rhs.org.uk/communities/communityblogs/community-gardeners) the message of whats happening in Stony Stratford is wellpublicised.

Communication and Publicity

30

Stony Stratford in Bloom 2015